


alive

by ravens_rising



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, mentions of Boil/Waxer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 20:59:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8593561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravens_rising/pseuds/ravens_rising
Summary: A series of moments between Rex and Cody.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alexiel-neesan (alyyks)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alyyks/gifts).



> I'm not the best writer, so hopefully this is okay, and something you enjoy! (I love your artwork.)
> 
> Thanks to S. for support.

Rex is in the middle of training some of the shinies when General Skywalker enters the room, and everyone in the room snaps to attention. "At ease," he says loudly, meeting Rex's eyes.

With a low instruction to the younger clone he was instructing, he heads over to speak with his General. Skywalker is grinning, an excited thrum under his skin. That's usually either a very good or very bad sign.

"Sir?" he inquires when he is closer.

"We've been ordered to Ethos," Skywalker informs him. Rex's mind races.

"That's where the 212th is."

Skywalker nods. "They've been having difficulties retaking the planet and we've been ordered to back them up."

"It will be good to work with them," Rex says, and Skywalker's grin widens slightly, but he doesn't acknowledge the comment.

"Let the men know. I've already ordered the ship to adjust course, and we should be there tomorrow. I should have more information for a briefing in a couple hours."

"Understood, sir," he says.

After the General leaves, and the rest of clones relax, Fives wanders over.

"What's our orders?" he asks.

"We're to back up the 212th on Ethos,"

Fives looks genuinely pleased for a moment, before it melts into a smirk. "Excited, aren't you?"

He feels his cheeks heating. "I know where you sleep, soldier."

"Yes, sir," he says, not abashed at all.

-

General Kenobi is privately conversing with the Jedi Council when the flap of the tent moves and and Cody looks up to find Rex. "Rex," he says, and Rex takes off his helmet.

"It's good to see you, Cody," Rex says, and Cody can feel his shoulders relaxing. It's good to have Rex here.

"Likewise," he says, and steps away from the hologram on the table to clasp Rex on his armoured shoulder.

"Your last assignment was successful?"

"Yes, we were able to destroy the new weapon," Rex explains.

"Good." Cody turns back to the holographic map, "We could use your help."

"Is this the map of the area?" he asks, and Cody nods. "General Skywalker went to find General Kenobi, but you can fill me in first."

-

Their Generals call a meeting, and Rex, General Skywalker, and Ahsoka are caught up to date, the three Jedi go off to train. After they wander off, Cody hangs back, and Rex looks at him and raises an eyebrow. "Something else?"

"I just thought I would, uh, warn you," Cody says, "before you run into them. Boil and Waxer finally got their shit together."

Rex's face lights up. "They're together?"

Cody nods. "Just recently, and they are currently still... handsy."

"And that's why you're warning me in advance?" Rex laughs. "Good to know. I'm happy for them." Cody nods in agreement, and attempts to ignore the heavy feeling in his stomach.

-

That night finds the clones gathered around fires, groups huddled close for warmth. Rex finds Cody around a fire along with Boil, Waxer, Fives, Jesse, and Kix, and other older and experienced clones.

Cody isn't talking to anyone, just staring into the fire, seemingly deep in thought. There's an crate next to Cody, with no one sitting on it, and Rex takes that seat, enjoying the warmth of the fire against his face. The others chorus a greeting before returning to their previous conversations, and Cody realizes he's been joined, and looks up and sends him a quick smike.

"I spoke to Wolffe a couple weeks ago," Rex offers. "We worked together temporarily for a mission."

"Yeah?" Cody straightens and gives him his full attention.

"Jinx and Blocker are dead," he says, and Cody dips his head, a solemn acknowlegement. Many other clones in Wolffe's company are dead, of course, but they can't know all of them. They remember who they can. "Yelen and Blink are together. Plo Koon injured himself jumping off a mountain."

"Jumping... off a mountain."

"Yes," Rex confirms, his lips twitching.

"I wish I was more surprised," Cody says, before returning the favor and telling Rex about the updates he got from Bly when the 212th worked recently with the 327th.

-

After several days of fighting, their camp slowly making it closer to the city, one night Cody is entering the mess tent in front of Rex, when he stops abruptly. When he doesn't say anything, Rex pushes past him.

Boil and Waxer are sitting on one of the benches, Waxer on Boil's lap. Waxer grins mischieviously at them, and Boil looks mortified, a blush high on his cheeks.

"Get out of here," Rex says, when Cody doesn't say anything.

One of the few other clones in the mess tent shouts, "Thank you!"

"Sorry, sir," Waxer responds, grinning. Boil haults himself up, without pushing Waxer away. His hand settles on Waxer's hip, an intimate touch, and then bodily turns him around and moves them both toward the door.

Cody and Rex move out of the way to let them past.

When they've left and he's checked that none of the other clones are listening, Rex waits a moment, and then asks, "Do you not approve?"

Cody looks at him, startled. "What?"

"You've seemed... bothered. By Boil and Waxer. More so than just irritation at... PDA."

"Oh," he says, looking bothered. "I didn't mean to show that."

"I know you pretty well," Rex says, and waits.  
  
Cody looks away. "I'm just... envious."

"Envious? Of..."

"Oh, no," Cody says quickly, "I don't... have feelings for one of them. I'm just..." he looks down at his hands.

"Lonely?" Rex suggests.

Cody's jaw works. "Yes," he says, after a moment. He looks very tired, and very sad. Rex wants to touch him. He wants to take that expression away.

"I was... under the impression you weren't interested in relationships," Rex says tentatively.

Cody blinks, looking back up. "No. That's not true."

"Oh," Rex says. He feels hot. Don't do anything stupid, he thinks. "I never heard of you... and anyone."

Cody shakes his head. "I was groomed for leadership from the beginning. It's not... appropriate for me for most people, in a position of power."

"Well, yeah." Rex says, and he guesses he was promoted later on. "We're clones, though. We only have... so much time."

"I know that," Cody says, an edge to his voice. He takes a deep breath, calming himself. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"Okay," Rex says, raising his hands slightly, palms up. "I understand." He's certainly not going to push it in a public place.

  
-

The next time Rex finds Cody by the fire, with an open seat next to him, he hangs back and hesitates from a moment. Inside his armor, his hands curl into fists and he suddenly feels sweaty. But he's a clone, so he shakes it oft and strides forward.

"Cody," he says, and he kicks the crate with his foot so that it slides closer to the other clone. When he sits down, his knees are almost touching's Cody's.

Cody looks at him, surprised, then his face goes unreadable. He doesn't move his legs.

"It's up to seventeen, after today," is all he says.

It takes Rex a momement, then- "He dropped his lightsaber again?"

Cody's mouth quirks. "Yes."

"How do you- he's worse than General Skywalker!"

"Try telling him that," Cody says wryly. He wouldn't take any kind of insult to his General from most other people, but Rex and other commanders, that was a different story.

Rex shakes his head. "Jedi," he says, exasperated but fond.

Cody lifts an imaginary drink to him, and they share an commiserating look. "At least he wasn't jumping off mountains. This time."

-

  
They're making their final push on the capital city, and the two companies are split up. General Skywalker is taking the 505st through a secret tunnel under the city, while the 212th is going in the front.

"Good luck," Cody says, and Rex clasps his hand firmly, before putting his helmet on. He turns away and starts giving orders to his men.

Cody waits a moment, watching him, before doing the same with his own men.

-

They've taken their part of the city when his General approaches him. Not everyone would be able to tell, but he looks worried. "I've lost contact with Anakin," General Kenobi says, and Cody's stomach drops.

"I'm sure they're fine, sir," Cody says.

"No, they would never get into trouble, would they," Kenobi says wryly. Cody grimaces.

"Captain Rex has gotten out of many dangerous situations before."

Cody feels sick. Not Rex. But he knows very well how many perfectly capable clones die during every battle. He doesn't know what he'll do if he can't know that Rex is out there somewhere. Don't get attached, the voice of one of his early trainers mocks him, and he ignores it.

-

Cody is speaking with one of the civilians near the makeshift infirmary, his helmet tucked under his arm, when a murmur starts going through the crowd of clones.

He looks up to check the cause, and a wave of relief crashes through him, leaving him lightheaded. It's Rex, leaning heavily against a fellow clone, but alive and walking and looking right at him.

"Excuse me for a moment," he says, and without waiting for a response from the civilian, he strides over toward Rex.

"I'll take him," he says, and Rex hisses softly in pain, and they tranfers his weight to Cody.

"Worried about me?"

"You can take care of yourself," Cody says, but Rex knows him better.

-

Some of the higher ranking clones have been given small rooms in the city, and Cody is one of them. He is undressing when there is a knock at the door, and he answers it. He opens it, and Rex is standing there, out of his armor, and his arm in a sling.

"Rex," he says, his mouth suddenly dry.

"Can I come in?" Rex asks. He looks tired, and there's a smudge of dirt on his cheek.

"Of course," he says, and steps back, letting Rex in.

After a moment, he closes the door behind him, and turns to face him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like a cave fell on me," Rex says, deadpan, and after Cody raises an eyebrow at him, says, "I'm feeling... good, actually."

"Really?" Cody says skeptically.

"Really," Rex says, and takes a deliberate step closer.

Cody sucks in a quick breath. When he doesn't move away, slowly, carefully, Rex reaches up with his good hand and runs his fingers across Cody's cheek. Cody can feel his heart rate speed up, pounding in his ears.

"Rex," he says helplessly.

A smile is starting to spread across Rex's face, like the sun coming up. "Cody." he says, "Yes, I'm feeling good." He slides his hand back to grip the back of his neck, and pull him closer, drawing him in for a kiss. Cody is frozen for a moment, and then he leans into it, kissing back. Slowly at first, then he reaches out and puts a hand on Rex's waist, careful of the broken arm.

His fingers dig into Rex's skin and Rex makes a sound and drops his hand, pushing him back up against the door and kissing him deeper. Cody feels like he's drowning. It's been so long, and this is is Rex.

When they break away, Rex breathes against his lips. "I thought you didn't want this," he admits quietly.

Cody lets out a quick breath, almost a laugh. "I do. I had no idea that you..."

Rex smiles wryly, and Cody wants to touch him. He can now, though, he thinks, so he does. He reaches up and places his fingers on that smile. Rex's eyes darken.

"The look on your face, when you saw me today,"

Cody blushes. "We didn't know if you were dead."

"I'm hard to kill," Rex says, but Cody meets his eyes and smiles, a bit sad. Rex nods. They both know that only means so much when they're clones. "I'm alive," he says, "help me enjoy it?"

"Yes, I would like that very much." he says, as he leans in to kiss him again.


End file.
